Rotary valve train

ABSTRACT

A rotary valve train employing an elongated block with an axial bore and a shaft disposed in the bore and rotatable about its axis. The block contains a plurality of longitudinally spaced recesses centered on the bore and extending at right angles. Each recess has a first half defining a semicircle and a second half defining a rectangle. A separate circular disc centered on, secured to and rotatable with the shaft is disposed in each recess. Each disc has a quadrant removed. Each recess is ported. Each second half recess has a centrally disposed arm extending radially toward the shaft and disposed in sealing engagement with the outer periphery of the body of the disc.

United States Patent 1191 Ackerm an 1111 3,893,483 [451 July 8,1975

[ ROTARY VALVE TRAIN [76] Inventor: Timothy Ackerman, Main St.,

Centerbrook, Conn. 06409 [22] Filed: Jan. 4, 1974 [2]] Appl. No.:430,904

[52] U.S. C1 137/625.21; 123/190 A; 123/190 E [51] Int. Cl. F011 7/00[58] Field of Search 123/190 R, 190 A, 190 D,

Primary Examiner-Charles J. Myhre Assistant Examiner- Daniel .1.O'Connor [57] ABSTRACT A rotary valve train employing an elongated blockwith an axial bore and a shaft disposed in the bore and rotatable aboutits axis. The block contains a plurality of longitudinally spacedrecesses centered on the bore and extending at right angles. Each recesshas a first half defining a semicircle and a second half defining arectangle. A separate circular disc centered on, secured to androtatable with the shaft is disposed in each recess. Each disc has aquadrant removed. Each recess is ported. Each second half recess has acentrally disposed arm extending radially toward the shaft and disposedin sealing engagement with the outer periphery of the body of the disc.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures ROTARY VALVE TRAIN SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis invention is directed toward a rotary valve train which can besubstituted for a conventional overhead valve train in an internalcombustion engine.

The rotary valve train employs an elongated block with an axial bore anda shaft disposed in the bore and rotatable about its axis. The blockcontains a plurality of longitudinally spaced recesses centered on thebore and extending at right angles thereto. Each recess, which isported, has a first half section defining a semicircle and a second halfsection defining a rectangle. A separate circular disc having a quadrantremoved is centered on, secured to and rotatable with the shaft and isrotatably disposed in the corresponding recess.

Each combination of recess and disc constitutes a valve. The timing iscontrolled by carefully spacing the missing quadrants of the discsrelative to each other. The shaft is driven by a chain off the crankshaft as is a cam shaft in a conventional engine.

The rotary valve train thus substitutes a smooth circular motion whichis highly efficient for the lower efficiency conventional up and downmotion and contains many fewer parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of shaft with discs as used in theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the valve block as used inthe invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view in cross section of the parts used in theinvention; and

FIG. 4 is a top view of the composite valve train.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS.1-4, mating rectangular blocks and 12 define an elongated block with acentrally disposed axial bore 14. A shaft 16 rotated about its axis by achain off the crank shaft of the engine employing the invention isdisposed in the bore.

A plurality of recesses which are longitudinally spaced are disposed inthe block, centered on the shaft and extend at right angles to theshaft. Each recess has a first half section 18 defining a semicircle anda second half section 20 defining a rectangle. The center of the sectionhas a stub or arm 22 extending radially inward at right angles towardthe shaft.

The shaft carries a plurality of longitudinally spaced circular discs 24centered on the shaft, secured thereto and rotatable therewith. Eachdisc has a quadrant 26 cut away. A separate disc is disposed in eachrecess and the circular peripheral surface engages the arm 22. Eachsection 20 has a port 28.

Each combination of recess and disc constitutes a separate valve 32. Twovalves, an intake valve and an exhaust valve are disposed incorresponding cylinder housings 34, each containing cylinder 36. Thevalves are operated by shaft 16 as described. The timing is adjusted byvarying the position of the quadrants 26. As shown in FIG. 1, therelative positions of the quadrants of a pair of valves, one intake, theother exhaust, are adjusted for a separation. As is shown in FIG. 3, thetwo blocks are placed together, surrounding the shaft and the discsthereon. The two blocks are disposed directly above the cylinder,forming a cylinder head. Considering the disc shown in the drawing as anintake valve, air-fuel mixture is sucked into port 28 into therectangular half section only so long as one of the faces of the cutawayquadrant is between the arm 22 on the rectangular half section and adownwardly directed vertical line. The corresponding exhaust valveoperates in a similar manner.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to thedrawings, such is not to be considered as limiting its actual scope.

Having thus described this invention, what is asserted as new is:

l. A rotary valve train comprising:

an elongated block having an axial bore and a plurality oflongitudinally spaced recesses centered on the bore and extendingoutward at right angles, each recess being ported and having first andsecond halves, the first half being semi-circular, the second half beingrectangular;

an elongated shaft rotatable about its axis disposed in the bore; and

a like plurality of circular discs, each centered on and secured to theshaft and rotated therewith, the discs being longitudinally spaced, eachdisc being disposed in a corresponding recess and rotatable therein,each disc having a cut out portion defining a circular sector.

2. The train of claim 1 wherein the disc cut-out portions are angularlyseparated one from another.

3. The train of claim 2 wherein each cut-out portion defines a quadrant.

4. The train of claim 3 wherein each second half has an arm extendingcentrally and radially inward, the outer circular periphery of thecorresponding disc being in sealing engagement with the arm.

1. A rotary valve train comprising: an elongated block having an axialbore and a plurality of longitudinally spaced recesses centered on thebore and extending outward at right angles, each recess being ported andhaving first and second halves, the first half being semicircular, thesecond half being rectangular; an elongated shaft rotatable about itsaxis disposed in the bore; and a like plurality of circular discs, eachcentered on and secured to the shaft and rotated therewith, the discsbeing longitudinally spaced, each disc being disposed in a correspondingrecess and rotatable therein, each disc having a cut out portiondefining a circular sector.
 2. The train of claim 1 wherein the disccut-out portions are angularly separated one from another.
 3. The trainof claim 2 wherein each cut-out portion defines a quadrant.
 4. The trainof claim 3 wherein each second half has an arm extending centrally andradially inward, the outer circular periphery of the corresponding discbeing in sealing engagement with the arm.